BMW 135i Coupe

Size may matter to some, but in BMW’s case, the smaller the better. Forget saloons and crossovers, BMW’s introduction of the 1 Series to the streets of North America was nothing short of monumental in terms of the company’s curb appeal and general placement in the global market. Released in 2004 in Europe, the 1 Series made the transatlantic jump in 2008 (model E82) with two models available: the 128i and the 135i. While both are a pleasure to drive and offer a design quality and performance that rivals their higher-numbered models, we got the chance to helm the wheel of the 1 Series’ turbocharged model, the 135i Coupe.

The BMW 135i Coupe may be the baby of the BMW bunch, but this car is far from being bottom of the barrel. Weighing in at 3,373 pounds, this is no lightweight coupe. In addition to its 3.0-liter, 6-cylinder inline engine that's mounted farther back in the engine bay for greater stability on the road and balance in the vehicle, the 135i is also outfitted with twin-turbo technology that manages to power this two-door from 0-60 mph in just 5.1 seconds. For an “entry level” luxury car, that number is rather impressive and indicative of the engineering and design skills that go into each German-bred BMW. With 300 lb-ft. of torque available at 1,400 rpms and 300 horsepower, this rear-wheel drive coupe motors with the best of them. Coupled with BMW’s 6-speed manual transmission and electronic throttle control, the 135i is a joy to drive in every sense, from passing on the highway to zigzagging through city side streets. Nimble, responsive and attentive to the driver’s needs, this BMW almost becomes one with the driver, and that’s what makes this 1 Series so highly rated in our books.

Perhaps most noteworthy about the BMW 135i Coupe, however, is the exhaust note. Now, this is something that some would debate hardly warrants mentioning on a car. It is, after all, just the muffler. Yet, those who reach for the tissues every time they hear an ’03 Infiniti G35 approach will appreciate the guttural symphony emitting from the rear end of the 135i. Like a mini Ferrari, the 135i definitely deserves bonus points for the auditory experience you’ll enjoy each time you press the “start engine” button.

If Jeremy Clarkson said that the 135i Coupe is the best car BMW makes, then we can hardly disagree. However, the design elements of the 1 Series have been a moot point with critics and journalist since the car was first released in 2004. Perhaps it was the introduction of a brand-new line that had everyone up in arms, but like everything “new and shiny,” it took a few years for the dust to settle and everyone’s feather dusters to be put away.

Short, stubby and compact, the 135i can almost be likened the M Series designs (blasphemous, we know). Don’t dismiss the likeness just yet, though; take a closer look at the close-cropped front nose and the cornered wheels with 6-piston air-ventilated disk breaks, let your eyes run down the curvaceous sides and follow the flowing wheel wells and finally come to land on the signature L-shaped taillights and dual-exhaust that sounds so sweet. There’s very little that’s “wrong” about this particular car’s design. From nose to tail, BMW, once again, got it right.

Step inside the 135i and you’ll notice right away the stripped-down interior. While the 135 is top model in the 1 Series lineup, it’s the top because of its engine and performance, not for its interior gadgets and gizmos. This doesn’t mean that the inside is bare and useless, far from it; it simply meant that in our tester there wasn’t any MP3 hookup or NAV system, no electronic seat adjusters or heads-up display, and that was just fine. After all, when you’re behind the wheel of the 135i Coupe you’ll care about nothing but the road ahead of you.

Now, it might not be for everyone, especially when it comes to interior space, but the BMW 135i Coupe is a great addition to the Bavarian lineup and should see a successful and enduring place in the North American auto market.